Reply #26: this DU post has a link....

[whistle]

...http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1692824

Plus this article:

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Terri Schiavo's Medical Facts & History

Bulimia, Coma, Brain Death in Terri Schiavo

In the debate over what should happen to Terri Schiavo, many lose sight of the facts and background of Terri’s medical history. Terri Schiavo had bulimia which produced a potassium imbalance which in turn caused a cardiac arrest. This shut off blood flow to her brain, much of which then died. Today her cranium is largely filled with spinal fluid, not brain matter.

Terri Schiavo: Victim of Bulimia or Physical Abuse?

On February 25, 1990, Terri suffered a cardiac arrest due to a potassium imbalance. Just 27 at the time, she has never regained consciousness. Terri Schiavo’s potassium imbalance was brought on by a life-long struggle with her weight. She was chubby and shy as a child. It wasn’t until she lost 65 pounds that men began to pay closer attention to her, including her future husband Michael Schiavo.

Keeping the weight off proved difficult, however, and Terri resorted to drastic measures. She developed bulimia and made herself throw up after meals. She tried to survive on liquids.
It is ironic that a woman whose brain has died because of her efforts to avoid eating would become the center of a controversy over whether a feeding tube should be maintained in order to keep her body alive. It’s also sad because her bulimia is rarely mentioned in the news. Terri Schiavo’s condition could serve as a lesson to those whose obsession with food and body image lead them into eating disorders.

<more>
<link> http://atheism.about.com/od/terrischiavonews/a/facts.htm

<other links>

http://binarycircumstance.typepad.com/bc_blog/2005/03/why_arent_they_.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-02-25-schiavo-eating-disorder_x.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Schiavo